Forest ServiceU.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Santa Fe National Forest | GP-R3-10-01 |September 2021

Passport to Pecos Activity Book

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Your guide to exploring Pecos Canyon and becoming a Pecos Protector

The Santa Fe National Forest acknowledges Native communities, including the People of Pecos Pueblo (P’æækish) and the Jicarilla Apache, as the original caretakers of this land. Long before the Santa Fe National Forest was established, these Indigenous peoples lived throughout the area and cared for its plants, animals, and waters. They continue to have important connections to this land today.

You are about to embark upon a journey to discover Pecos Canyon!

Each year, many people make the journey up Pecos Canyon to hike, camp, fish, hunt, and explore the canyon’s lands and waters. Whether you have been up Pecos Canyon before or this is your first visit, there is a lot to learn about this special place and how to protect it. As you make your way up the canyon and complete the activities in this passport booklet, we hope you learn about Pecos Canyon and how to be a Pecos Protector. So, grab a pencil, pack your adventure bag, and head out on your Passport to Pecos journey!

Post the photos you take along your way with the hashtag #PassportToPecos to share your journey on social media (with permission from your parents, of course!).

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Stop 5: Cave Creek Trail #288

Stop 4: Panchuela Cabins

Stop 3: Pecos River

Stop 1: Windy Bridge Picnic Site

Stop 2: Forest Road #646

Terrero

Cowles

Legend

Activity Stop

Road

TownName

1 0.5 0 1 Mile

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Did you know? The study of place names, called toponymy, is a way to learn about the history of places. There can be different names for the same place. The Pecos language calls the Pecos Canyon T’ôok’ô P’ææwâamu which translates to Corn Cob River Canyon. T’ôok’ô means corn cob and p’ææwâamu means river valley or canyon.

Recreate Responsibly! (Stop 1) Before you begin your adventure, make some observations about where you are. Use your senses to explore Pecos Canyon from this spot. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Why do you think so many people like to visit Pecos Canyon?

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Look around you...do you see trash in Pecos Canyon? Some visitors to outdoor areas don’t always know how to treat the lands and waters with respect. With your Passport to Pecos, you’ll learn about responsible recreation.

I see... I hear...

I smell... I feel...

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As you explore outside today, follow the Leave No Trace 7 Principles

to be a responsible visitor:1. Plan Ahead and Prepare What did you bring today to have a successful journey? Did you forget anything that you wish you had brought with you?

2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Try not to trample and harm plants and animals by staying on designated paths! If you pitch a tent, look for a spot where you won’t smash lots of plants.

3. Dispose of Waste Properly There is no “cleaning fairy” in the Forest, so make sure you throw your trash away in garbage cans, not on the ground! Thanks for your help keeping the Forest trash-free!

4. Leave What You Find Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints. Those flowers and rocks might be cool, but please leave them where you find them so other visitors can enjoy them too. Do you see something that you could take a photo of instead of taking it with you? Do that now!

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts Be smart with your campfire. Make sure it’s completely out and cold to the touch before leaving your campsite. For more information on campfire safety, head to Stop #2!

6. Respect Wildlife Please don’t feed wildlife or get too close to wild animals that you see. Make sure to keep dogs on a leash.

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors Treat others as you would like to be treated. Keep noise to a minimum, share spaces with other visitors, and always remember to be kind!

©Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org

Outdoor BINGOAs you travel through Pecos Canyon, complete this BINGO card. Mark completed activities with an “X”. Can you complete all the activities and get a “blackout” BINGO card?

FREESPACE

Feel the cool waters of the Pecos River

Hike on a trail

Listen to the singing birdsFind a wildflower

but please don’t pick it

Put trash in a trash can

Spot or catch a fishTake a picture or draw a

spot in the forestObserve the differences in

leaves of trees

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Campfire Safety (Stop 2) As you drive along Forest Road 646, do you see lots of campfire rings? There are two kinds of campfire rings: developed rings, which the Forest Service builds out of metal, and dispersed rings, which people build themselves out of rocks or inside of dirt pits.

Which type of campfire ring do you think is better at preventing wildfires? Why?

Whatever type of campfire ring you use, always make sure to put the fire completely out before leaving your campsite by drowning it with water, stirring it with a shovel, drowning it again, and then feeling with the back of your hand to see if it’s cool. Make sure to check on local fire restrictions before you build a campfire. Remember, only you can prevent wildfires! Bring Smokey Bear to life on this coloring page and read his 5 rules about being safe with fire.

1. Only you can prevent wildfires.2. Always be careful with fire.3. Never play with matches or lighters.4. Always watch your campfire.5. Make sure your campfire is completely out before leaving it.

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Smokey’s Five Rules for Fire Prevention

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Help

prevent

wildfires!

Pecos Wild and Scenic River (Stop 3) In 1990, the Pecos River was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River because of its clean waters, beauty, rich cultural history, and opportunities for recreation. This unique label is shared by less than 1% of the Nation’s rivers! In New Mexico, there are 4 Wild and Scenic Rivers: the Pecos River, East Fork Jemez River, Rio Chama, and Rio Grande. Wild and Scenic Rivers are better protected from pollution, industrial development, and other actions that could impair, or damage, their waters.

The Pecos River is home to the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout, New Mexico’s state fish. The river is also home to many macroinvertebrates, or tiny bugs that live in the water. Macroinvertebrates serve as food for other creatures. They’re very small, but sometimes you can spot them in the water or under rocks!

Take a look around the river for aquatic animals. Do you see any fish or macroinvertebrates? Draw what you observe here.

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Did you know? The Pecos name for the Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout is p’êpo. This translates to mountain fish. P’ê means mountain and po means fish.

The p’êpo was one of the first fish in the area documented by the Spanish conquistadors. In Spanish it is called la trucha degollada Rio Grande.

Pecos in the Past (Stop 4) Drive to the Panchuela Campground parking lot. Park and walk toward the fence to see three large cabins in a grassy meadow. These cabins sure look old, don’t they? They were built in 1912 (over 100 years ago!) and were used as the Panchuela Ranger Station until 1945. Since then, the cabins have been used for many things, like offices for the Forest Service and even cabins for forest workers to live in! Imagine living in a cabin in Panchuela 100 years ago. What would your chores be? What would you do for fun?

Long before Pecos Canyon became a national forest, it was part of the homelands of Indigenous peoples. Their descendants still live in surrounding areas today. Archaeologists (scientists who study things of the past) have found projectile points in Pecos Canyon, which people used as tools.

Connect the dots to see a projectile point.

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Take a Walk on the Wild Side (Stop 5) Walk down the hill to the Cave Creek trailhead and take a short hike down Trail #288. Remember to bring water with you!

If you continue hiking along this trail, you’ll enter the Pecos Wilderness. Like the Pecos Wild and Scenic River, the Pecos Wilderness is a special area that is more protected than other areas of the Forest. Only certain activities are permitted in designated wilderness areas: no motorized vehicles, bicycles, or buildings are allowed in these areas. In wilderness areas you can find quiet, peaceful trails and opportunities to explore the wild without any trace of civilization!

As you walk along the trail, keep an eye out for evidence of wildlife. Do you see any tracks, feathers, chewed plants, scat (poop), or other signs of wildlife? Lots of animals call Pecos Canyon home. Forests provide a diversity of animals with the habitat they need. Connect the animals below with their habitat, or areas of the forest you might find them.

Draw or list any signs of wildlife in the space below:

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Pika: I don’t hibernate. I spend the year in boulder fields near high mountain meadows.

Bighorn sheep: You’ll find me jumping around on steep and rocky mountainsides. Keep an eye out for the unique curling horns I grow on my head.

Pleasing fungus beetle: You might think I’m creepy and crawly, but my shell is a beautiful color blue. My favorite snack is mushrooms on the forest floor.

Mexican spotted owl: I am nocturnal, or mostly active at night. I make my nests in mixed conifer forests.

Peregrine falcon: I like to soar high in the sky above cliffs and canyons. Sometimes you’ll see me dive for my prey at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour!

A

E

D

C

B

Pika-B. Peregrine falcon-E, Mexican spotted owl-D, Pleasing fungus beetle-A, Bighorn Sheep-CRead the clues to match the animal with their habitat.

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Now that you’ve learned about Pecos Canyon, what are some ways that you will help protect this special place as a Pecos Protector? Take the pledge! Sign your name below to complete your Passport to Pecos journey and become an official Pecos Protector.

As a Pecos Protector,

I promise to respect the waters, plants, animals, and cultural history of Pecos Canyon.

I will do my best to teach others about how to be responsible outdoors.

Name

Date

Draw a picture of you here

Forest Service workers do lots of jobs: there are forest archaeologists, biologists, trail builders, firefighters, educators, researchers, engineers, and more!

You don’t need to work for the Forest Service to help protect the outdoors. What will you do to care for this area and other special places near your home? Write a letter to a friend or family member and share your ideas with them. Cut along the line and mail it to them. You can draw a picture of your favorite Pecos experience on the back!

Dear

Sincerely,

,

To learn more about this area visit:

www.fs.usda.gov/santafe/

Santa Fe National Forest11 Forest Lane

Santa Fe, NM 87508